For quite awhile now, speed weapons have been just about the only viable weapon when it comes to PvP. This makes me sad. Why? Because weapons such as flails, claymores, and longswords go completely unused.

I would like to see the weapon type and design become a purely cosmetic issue. That is to say, any "max" stat is obtainable on any weapon. A minimum damage maximum speed flail, for instance.

I would try and flesh this out more, but there's not much to it, really. I don't want to be stuck using hammers to be anywhere near effective.

Opinions?

Edit: If any of this seems incoherent, my apologies. I could probably use some sleep.

You really should read the announcements board.

Weapon stats were changed to work this way, with the exception of hammers, rapiers, etc (the "speed" weapons in each spec) that can be tempered down more on damage to give a little higher precision or speed.

From what I can tell, I'm still not able to make a flail that was worth a crap in PvP. But I'll do a bit more forging to be sure.

Edit: And which news post is this? I've been inactive here and there.

Edit edit: wp flail
It is a one-handed weapon.
Damage: 88 Precision: 172 Speed: 220
An imposingly spiked krokani flail has no poisons or magical effects on it.

That's the lowest I can go on damage on a flail, and the highest on precision with 220 speed.

This is compared to my hammers which are:
Damage: 33 Precision: 217 Speed: 230

It's true that they are not all set up with the same min/max, and I've submitted it as a bug a couple of times, since it was announced that they were supposed to be the same across the board, basically. The Powers-that-be seem to misconstrue my meaning each time, so obviously I'm not being clear enough, or else Their answers just aren't definitive enough to make me stop submitting the bug.

After some digging, I think I've found the announce post in question:


ANNOUNCE NEWS #1439
Date: 11/18/2009 at 20:01
From: Estarra, the Eternal
To : Everyone
Subj: Streamlining Combat: Damage Updates

First, I'd like to thank everyone who helped test the updates to the
various damage formulas. It is trickier than you can imagine! While
everyone may notice some very slight changes to the amount of damage you
do, the majority of the changes impacts those with super high stats
(strength, intelligence, etc. over 20). In other words, super high stats
shouldn't give such a gross advantage in terms of raw damage as it was.
The big change is for weapon stats which now have a more prominent role.
Thus, there should really be some difference in choosing a damage weapon
over a precision weapon, etc.

The last damage update we are considering is to put a damage cap on the
following attacks: basic weapons (jab/swing), basic monk (punch, kick,
jakari, tahto, shofa, nekai), elemental blast, elemental staff, druid
cudgel, nature talisman, moonburst, nightkiss, cosmic fire, symbol, and
minorsecond. The damage caps would be based on a target's maximum health
and consideration would be taken into account for one-handed vs.
two-handed weapons, as well as multiple monk attacks. These caps would
be aimed to prevent over-the-top damage attacks.

However, capping damage for basic attacks is still only in the
consideration stage. With the aforesaid damage updates, there may be no
reason to have caps. Also, there are some valid and strong arguments
against capping damage and we'll be listening to player input as well as
waiting to see how the damage updates level the field before making any
final decisions.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is this the post you were talking about? If so, it sounds to me like they made certain weapon types even less viable. But, I'm tired, so I may be taking it the wrong way.

That's one of them, but I don't think that's the one of which I was thinking. There should be something specifically about weapon stats, probably talking about Forging changes.

Trust me. These changes were a very good thing, as my flails are now actually decent in PvP. I used to be so pissed that I'd invested over 3,000 credits into them and I still couldn't keep up with others in a fight. Now, I feel like the investment is more worthwhile.

All right. I started at 1400 and went to 1489, so I'll see what I can find looking back even further!

edit: Do you know about when these changes were made? I found this and a few posts after about bug fixes.

ANNOUNCE NEWS #1339
Date: 6/14/2009 at 23:42
From: Roark Libertas
To : Everyone
Subj: Forging Update

The temper skill has been updated. Please see the AB help file for
details. Also, the forging artifact hammer will let you use power
reservs or a powerstone instead of a steel commodity for this change.
The artifact also can only be used by the owner now.

Penned by My hand on the 21st of Kiani, in the year 238 CE.


I've either read 1250 or 1200 through current at this point since I've gotten home from work. Eesh.